Refuse burner



PATENT JAMES T. STODDARD, OF OBTLAND, OREGON.

REFUSE BURNER.

Speci'frcation ef Letters Patent.

Fatented July d, i922.

To all wimnie't may concern.'

Be it known that l, Jarras T. S'roDDaaD, a citizen of the United States Vof America, residing at l3ortland, in the county -of Multnomah, in the State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful improve ments in Refuse Burners, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to the `accompanying drawing.

VMy invention lrelates to refuse burners, particularly `designed for consuming mill waste or refuse Vabout saw mills, and has for its Vobject the production of a deviceof that kind which is cheap in construction and economical as well as efficient in operation.

Hy burner is especially designed and adapted to promote complete combustion of material supplied to it to be consumed in such manner as to prohibit any escape of sparks that might otherwise spread conflagration.

At the same time provision is made for keeping the outer wall or shell of the burner cool to a degree that will enable it to carry a coat of paint without deterioration thereof from the heat of the internal fire.

What constitutes my invention will be hereinafter specified in detail and succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

n the accompanying drawing which constitutes a part of this specification,

Fig. l is a side elevation, partially brolen away, of my invention in present preferred form of embodiment.

Fig. Il is a. top plan view of the same complete.

Referring to the numerals on the drawing l indicates the ground line of a concrete or other foundation 2 that may be set into or erected upon the ground as preferred. rlhe foundation preferably affords support for the entire superstructure with whose transverse shape it corresponds, the shape of both shown in the drawing being circular.

Upon the foundation 2 is erected in close juxtaposition therewith an outside wall 3 terminating` in an extension 4E that is preferably cylindrical in shape. An intermediate foraminous zone 5 is preferably provided as part of the extension l of the shell consisting of the walls 3 and il, and is preferably introduced at the lower end of the wall 4L adjacent to the top of the wall 3.

Ane walls 3 and et may be made of any suitable material, preferably sheet metal plates united in overlapping joints 6, or any other preferred construction, and the Zone 5 is preferably of suitable wire mesh construction. The shell is preferably supported upon a suitable skeleton or frame work represented by uprights 7 of channel iron having footings vin the Vfoundation 2 and riveted or otherwise secured to vthe plates lcomposing the shell.

lWithin the lowerport-ion ofthe shell defined `by the wall 3, l provide a truncately conical member 8 preferably constructed after the manner of the shell and comprising` legs 10 which preferably have outwardly deflected feet l] embedded in the foundation 2, though the manner of supporting the legs upon the ground is merely a matter of preference. rllhe construction shown and described is preferred because it affords support for the entire superstructure of my device upon the same foundation.

The member 8 is disposed within the wall 3 of the shell in such manner as to bring its lower edge l2 well above the ground line l and its upper edge 14 above the top of the zone 5 with a clear space all around it between its outer surface and the inner surface of the wall 3. ln the drawing the angle of inclination of the wall 3 is substantially the same as that of the member 8, but it may be varied if preferred, and particularly with a view of enlarging the air space between the top of the member 8 and the shell surrounding` it.

The top of the cylinder 4e may be, and preferably is, entirely uncovered and unobstructed. The member 8 is open throughout its length from its lower edge l2 to its upper edge la.

l5 indicates any suitable or preferred conveyor er delivery mechanism for discharg ing refuse to be burned, into the interior of the member S. It is shown as introduced through the cylinder 4f so as `to discharge into the member' 8 from above, but the point of its introduction is immaterial and may be varied at will, provided only, that. the member l5 be adapted to discharge within the member 8 at a convenient point for effecting combustion of the material so deliver-ed.

16 indicates a pile of combustible material which is by the member l5 deposited in conti'nuing discharge upon the ground 1 midway of the surrounding shell and superposed member 8.

No special provision is necessary for accommodation of the combustibles 16, though the space circumscribed by the foundation 2 may be denominated a hearth 18 since it affords a place for burning the combustibles 16. A transverse tunnel or trench 19 surmounted by a grate 2O is preferably provided below the ground line. 1t communicates through one side of the foundation 2 with the middle portion of the hearth 18 from below, the purpose of the tunnel 19 being to aifordmeans for removing ashes as they accumulate.

The object of my invention being, as has been specifiedtwof'old, namely to effect combustion of refuse and to effect it in such degree of perfection as to avoid the dis 'charge of sparks, in considering the oper ation of my device the means by which both those objects are attained should be observed. Combustion to an entirely satisfactory degrec may be obtained within the open top shell supported against the ground by a flared base, represented by the wall 3, since the flared base directs an ascending current of heated air towards the vertical central axis of the cylinder 4 and at the same time creates a descending current of air around theinside of the cylinder which is sufficient for the support of combustion upon the hearth 18, although contribution of air for the support of initial combustion may be had through the tunnel 19.

The introduction of the foraminous zone 5 affords additional supply of air to the interior of the shell.

The member 8 within the shell acts like a nozzle to focus the upward discharge of the products of combustion from the hearth 18 below the top ofthe cylinder 4, with the effect of producing a whirling annulus of air above the edge 14 of the member 8 and between it and the interior of the cylinder 4, due to the confii'ct between the aforesaid ascending and descending currents of air. The flared base defined by the wall 3 might be used alone. 1t is also nozzle-like and the result would be similar if the member 8 were omitted, but the focus of its discharge would be higher within the cylinder 4. The effect of the addition of the member 8 therefore is to convert the space between the walls 3 and 8 into an air intake only, and to lower the focal point and to accentuate the action of the whirling annulus of air within the cylinder 4, with the result of catching any partly burned heavy products of combustion which might produce sparks and precipitating them around the outside of the hearth 18 towards the outer edge of the wall 3.

The angle of inclinationof the outer face of the member 8 is such as to facilitate the precipitation referred to. lVith or without the member 8, the descending currents of outside air against the inner face of the shell tendfto cool it, but the presence of the member 8 affords a double wall to the flared base of the burner and thereby means to effectually protect the wall 3 at pointsY in close proximity to the heat of combustion. Consequently it is practicable, in the preferred formof embodiment ofl my invention shown in the drawing, to keeprthe wall 3 so cooled at all ltimes as to enable it'tov carry on the outside a protective coating of ordinary paint, which is` desirable inrstrnctures exposed to the weather as mine `is. Y The presence of the foraminous Zone 5 in the shell is 'especially desirable in the complete form of embodiment of my invention comprising the member 8, and when used -in connection therewith it is preferably disposed below the upper edge 14 of the mem ber 8 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

The 'cylindrical shape of the extension 4 is preferred because of itssimplicity and comparative economy of construction, but it may be modified in a variety of ways withont departing from the -scope of my in` vention.

1n the drawing the base 3 of. the shell isY shown as meeting the top of the foundation 2 or in other words the surface of the ground or hearth at an acute angle. 1f preferred the said angle of inclination may be changed or the point of the angle may be filled in to eliminate the sharpness of the angle.

What I claim is:

1. A refuse burner comprising a hearth a shell having an open top and a flared base surmounting and surrounding the hearth and in closed juxtaposition thereto, in combination with a foraminous intermediate vzone in the shell. Y

2. 1n a refuse burner, the combination. with a hearth,.and a hollow shell having an open top and a flared base surmounting the hearth and inclosed juxtaposition thereto, of a hollow member, supported within and spaced from the wall of the shell and raised above the hearth, the upper rim of said member being disposed below the rim of the open top of the shell.

8. In a refuse burner, the combination with a hearth, a hollow shell, and an extension thereof open-at top and bottom, and having a flared base surmounting the hearth and in closed juxtaposition thereto, of a hollow member supported within and spaced from the-wall of the shell, and'raised above the hearth, its .upper rim being disposed within. the extension of the shell, and a foraminous intermediateY zone intermediately disposed in the shell extension.

4. 1n "a refuse burner, an outside wall closed substantially on all sides except on its top, in combination with an inside hollow imperforate member, open at its top and bottom and spaced all around and above and below from the said outside wall so as to enable it, in operation, to effect intake of atmospheric air through said open top of the burner for the support of the operative combustion within the burner, and also to effect delivery of the products of said combustion medially within the burner towards the place of nal discharge through the open top of the burner.

5. In a refuse burner, an outside wall closed substantially on all sides except its top, in combination with an inside hollow member open at its top and bottom, spaced on all sides from the said outside wall, and located entirely within the outside Wall whereby combustion supported in operation within the inside member will maintain at the same time within the burner a descending outside current of atmospheric air and an ascending` inside current ot' the products oi comlmstion7 the descending outside current making` Contact with the inside ascending current and constitutinga sheath therefor with the effect described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JMES T. STODDARD.

lVitnesses:

HOWARD O. ROGERS, M. NEVILLE. 

